Locations

Eastern Bohemia - Region of Historical Landmarks

Magical niches in castle ruins, old castles proudly towering over their surrounding landscapes, romantic gardens, and elegant chateaus. All of these are remnants of times past that remain attractive to this day. It is a place that consumes and transports a person hundreds of years into the distant past. Each of these places impresses with its unique genius loci, whether it is the ruins of Potštejn Castle, a proud member of the UNESCO list world heritage list, Litomyšl Castle, the impregnable gothic Kost Castle, historical residences on the Orlice River, the baroque Potštějn Chateau, or Kolowrat Chateau in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. The baroque churches of the Broumov region and the spectacular Kuks Hospital with its hospital garden and terrace, home to a group of allegoric statues representing virtue and vice created by Matyáš Bernard Braun, are genuinely unique features.

Eastern Bohemia - Region of Fascinating Rock Towns and Labyrinths

The landscape and wildlife of Bohemia are diverse and full of contrasts. To this day, you can find unspoilt areas of nature yet to be touched by human civilisation. A remarkable feature of the region can be found in the rock formations that have formed here over millions of years. Over this period, they created a unique, hidden rock town interlaced with a system of tunnels, caves, stone alleys, ravines and holes. The Prachov Rocks, Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, with hundreds of rock towers of bizarre shapes and crystal-clear lakes, and the Toulovec Stables Canyon are breathtaking. Between Broumov and Police nad Metují, it is impossible to miss the massive, densely-forested ridge with sandstone cliffs, deep ravines, gorges, and stunning observation points with the unique so-called Slavenský Mushrooms.

Eastern Bohemia - Region of Modern Architecture

It was not only the days of old that have left their mark on the region, but the twentieth century too has influenced it, allowing us today to take pride not only in individual superior architectural feats—from late Historicist and Art Nouveau to contemporary architectural works—but also in uniformly designed urbanist units, which certainly include Hradec Králové’s Salon of the Republic. Josef Gočár, Jan Kotěra, Dušan Jurkovič and others have contributed their works to the region. In Jičín, Pavel Janák designed his first Cubist building, while in Pardubice a unique crematorium was built in the Rondocubist style based on his design. Additionally, Babí u Náchoda boasts a partially preserved set of houses for factory workers created by Adolf Loos, and the signature of Semín native Josef Gočár is apparently one of the most famous technical landmarks in the region: the Winternitz Mills. The most prominent example of avant-garde architecture in the country is the municipal theatre in Ústí nad Orlicí designed by Kamil Roškot.

Eastern Bohemia - Region of Military Fortifications and Landmarks

Due to its location, Eastern Bohemia is home to a system of border military fortifications dating from 1935–1938. The Giant Mountains, Orlické Mountains, and the Kralický Sněžník area feature a network of preserved bunkers, artillery fortifications, observation points and infantry blocks that are perfect for filming historical military shots. The most significant include the Stachelberg, Hanička, and Dobrošov fortresses and the entire Králíky Fortified Sector—the area with the highest concentration of remnants of the Czechoslovak fortification system, such as the Bouda and Hůrka artillery forts. The fortress town of Josefov is a unique work of European urbanism and fortification art, which conceals a preserved military fortress with bulwarks, trenches, and underground tunnels. The town itself with its monumental church is also unique and has all the requirements for becoming the backdrop for a film.

Eastern Bohemia - Region of Horses

Eastern Bohemia is known as an area well connected with horses. Horse racing and horse breeding have a long and rich tradition in this region. The Velké pardubická horserace is said to be the oldest and most demanding cross-country steeplechase in Europe. Kladruber horses are bred in the Slatiňany stables and at the Kladruby nad Labem stud farm, which was founded by Emperor Maximilian II as early as the 16th century. This breed of horses has achieved such fame that the Czech Republic presented one fine specimen as a wedding gift to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.